From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The London Film Critics' Circle is the name by
which the Film Section of the The Critics' Circle is known
internationally.

The word London was added because it was thought the term
Critics' Circle Film Awards lacked meaning — for people in LA for
example — and the Film Section wished its annual Awards to be
recognised on film advertising, especially in the United States,
and in production notes.

The Critics' Circle, founded in 1913, is an association for
working British critics. Film
critics first became eligible for membership of the Circle in 1926.
The Film section now has more than 120 members drawn from
publications and the broadcasting media throughout the United
Kingdom.

Film section members of the Critics' Circle will have worked as
a critic or have written or broadcast informed analytical features
or programmes about film for British publications and media for at
least a year, their income mostly derived from reviewing and
writing about film.

Critics' Circle Film
Awards

The Critics' Circle Film Awards, instituted in
1980 and known for several years as the ALFS, are awarded annually
by the Film section of the Critics' Circle.

Voted for by all members of the Film section, the Awards have
become a major event in London, presented at a dinner dance held in
a large West End hotel. Since 1995 they have been a charity event
in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children (NSPCC).

Award
categories

Over time the Award categories have gradually changed, some
added, some dropped. For some categories this means that winners
were not necessarily declared or listed in each of the Awards
year.

In 2007, following widespread objection from the Irish public,
Filmmakers and Actors at being nominated for 'Best British' awards
it was decided in the interest of political correctness and
Ireland's National integrity that Irish filmmakers, actors and all
involved in the Irish Film Industry would be eligible for awards
which do not have the word 'British' in the title. To that end the
titles of several of the awards were amended to exclude the word
'British'.

The Attenbrough Award now goes to the best 'British' and/or
'Irish' film of the year, while the two British Supporting Actor
awards lost the word 'British' from their title so that 'British'
and 'Irish' actors in supporting roles are eligible.

From 2007 the Newcomer Award was divided into two Breakthrough
Awards, one for Acting, the other for Filmmaking. Previously
filmmakers and actors had competed against each other for the
Newcomer award.

Awards

Linked to Film section listings of winners, the past and present
Award categories include: